Only four days into COP27 and it is hard to turn a corner without hearing or seeing the words Just Transition. Trade unions at COP27 are very clear that this term coined by our movement is not to be used by governments and employers if they plan a transition without workers at the table.

Inspired by training on the International Labour Organization Convention 190 to eliminate violence and harassment in the world of work facilitated by IndustriALL Global Union, the workers in Madagascar’s textile and garment industries are devising ways to deal with gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in their factories.

Within a week, two massive fires broke out in footwear manufacturing factories in Delhi, killing two workers workers and injuring 18. Lack of workplace safety continues to be a threat to workers.

IndustriALL and affiliates gathered online for a women’s committee meeting on 26 and 27 October. A key focus of the meeting was the approval of the composition of IndustriALL’s gender equality task force. Confirmation of twelve gender task force members completes an establishment of a new IndustriALL body. Its first task will be to develop a policy aiming at ending with GBVH, sexism and misogyny in industries and trade unions.

Members of Sintracarbón, IndustriALL's mining affiliate in Colombia, recently met online to highlight the need for Glencore to ensure that there is a just transition, that workers don’t lose their jobs and that it doesn’t leave a ghost town behind it.

Unions and progressive organizations in Sri Lanka are putting up a strong fight to save democratic rights and workers’ rights in the face of the worst economic and political crisis in the history of the country.

This week IndustriALL held three webinars in preparation for COP27 in Egypt next week. The webinars focused on union action around Just Transition throughout supply chains and in the mobility sector.

The initiative on Just Transition in the Energy Sector concludes its first year with recommendations set to ensure that unions are ready for the transition. ITUC, LO Norway and IndustriALL have worked together to ensure that the labour movement have the information, tools and plans to get good jobs and a Just Transition for workers.

Young union activists from the mining and metallurgical, oil and gas, textile and energy industries from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan attended an IndustriALL forum called “Youth for new trade union prospects” in Kyrgyzstan on 27-28 October.

On 25 October IndustriALL’s affiliates, in various sectors, discussed challenges and opportunities of digitization and industry 4.0. The meeting was attended by over 160 representatives from 40 countries. 

When Zheng Yong Swaziland unilaterally decided to stop deducting union dues for 1,276 workers as part of the garment maker’s anti-union behaviour, the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) immediately launched a court challenge.

IndustriALL Asia Pacific executive committee met on 28 October, ahead of the global executive committee meeting later this month. Trade union actions to advance workers’ rights in light of the current wage crisis coupled with an increasing attack on democracy and fundamental rights in the region, were key points of discussion.

IndustriALL Global Union has begun discussions with garment brands on a responsible exit from Myanmar, due to the deteriorating human rights situation and the impossibility of doing due diligence.

As the ILO Governing Body meets in Geneva, Bangladesh will be on the agenda. IndustriALL is calling on the government of Bangladesh to make sincere efforts to implement the roadmap requested by the ILO to improve workers’ rights in the country.

PT Tainan Enterprises in Indonesia are reinstating a woman union leader that was sacked over bogus claims earlier this year.
Rahmawati became local union president at PT Tainan in August 2021. In January 2022, the company started issuing warning letters to Rahmawati, claiming she was unable to achieve the production target.

Leaders of the world’s governments will begin a two-week meeting in Egypt on Sunday to continue negotiations to address the biggest crisis facing humanity: climate change. A delegation from the global labour movement, including IndustriALL Global Union, will be present at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27, to ensure that workers’ voices are raised at this crucial international meeting.

IndustriALL Democratic Republic of the Congo council discussed Glencore’s broken promises to mineworkers at a meeting on 21 October. According to IndustriALL affiliates, Glencore has made no efforts to improve working conditions at its mining operations in the country. 

Trade unions and civil society organizations want illicit financial flows (IFFs) to be curbed and replaced by trade and industrial policy models that promote sustainable development and that are financed by revenues from mining and the oil and gas sectors.

At a living wage workshop held in Colombo on 20 October, trade unionists expressed concern over workers not being paid a living wage in the country. 

Trade union members of the key global union players have come up with an action plan to establish social dialogue with the Heidelberg Materials Group. The event was held on 18 and 19 October with affiliates from IndustriALL Global Union, Building Wood and Workers’ International (BWI), and the European Federation of Building, and Woodworkers (EFBWW).